MEDICAL APPARATUS WITH OPTICAL SENSING, AND RELATED DEVICES AND METHODS
Granted: August 6, 2020
Application Number:
20200246033
A medical apparatus can include an instrument comprising a shaft and a jaw assembly coupled to an end of the shaft; an image capture device; and a controller operably coupled to the image capture device to receive image data from the image capture device. The image data is from images of material gripped between jaw members of the jaw assembly and captured by the image capture device, with the controller programmed to process the received image data using at least one of optical flow and…
SURGICAL PORT FEATURES WITH ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE PORTIONS, RELATED DEVICES, AND RELATED METHODS
Granted: July 23, 2020
Application Number:
20200230392
A surgical port includes a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a longitudinal axis extending through the first end and the second end. An outer sidewall extends between the first end and the second end. First and second channels extend through the port from the first end to the second end. A first electrically conductive portion extends from the first channel to the outer sidewall, and a second electrically conductive portion extends from the second channel to the outer…
PRELOADED SURGICAL INSTRUMENT INTERFACE
Granted: July 16, 2020
Application Number:
20200222130
A surgical system includes a surgical instrument that is sensitive to backlash that would adversely affect the transmission of controlled torque and position to the surgical instrument. The surgical instrument is coupled to motors in a surgical instrument manipulator assembly via a mechanical interface. The combination of the mechanical interface and surgical instrument manipulator assembly have low backlash, e.g., less than 0.7 degrees. The backlash is controlled in the surgical…
SPLAYED CABLE GUIDE FOR A MEDICAL INSTRUMENT
Granted: June 25, 2020
Application Number:
20200197117
An apparatus includes a housing, a cable guide, a first cable, and a second cable. The housing is coupled to a shaft of a medical instrument. The cable guide is coupled to the housing, and defines a shaft opening into a passageway defined by the shaft. A first guide groove and a second guide groove are defined by the cable guide, with each of the first guide groove and the second guide groove being splayed outward from the shaft opening. The first cable is routed within the first guide…
MECHANICAL JOINTS, AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS
Granted: June 4, 2020
Application Number:
20200170734
A surgical instrument may comprise a shaft; a wrist structure coupled to the shaft; an end effector coupled to the wrist structure; and an actuation element extending through the shaft and the wrist and coupled to the end effector. The wrist structure may be articulatable in multiple degrees of freedom relative to the shaft, and the actuation element may follow a twisted path along at least a portion of a length of the wrist structure, the twisted path having an angular extent of less…
ESTIMATION OF A POSITION AND ORIENTATION OF A FRAME USED IN CONTROLLING MOVEMENT OF A TOOL
Granted: June 4, 2020
Application Number:
20200170725
A system includes a control device, a manipulator configured to support a tool having a tool frame, and at least one processor coupled to the control device and the manipulator. The at least one processor is configured to perform a method. The method includes receiving one or more images captured by an image-capturing system, the image-capturing system having an image frame. The tool is visible in the one or more images. The method further includes determining, based on information in…
MEDICAL DEVICES HAVING MULTIPLE BLADES AND METHODS OF USE
Granted: May 21, 2020
Application Number:
20200155253
A medical device includes a clevis, a first blade, a second blade, and a tension member. The first and second blades are rotatably coupled to the clevis. The first blade includes a first coupling portion. The tension member is coupled to the first blade and applies a torque to the first blade to rotate the first blade about the clevis between a first, second, and third orientation. The second blade includes a second coupling portion. The second coupling portion is coupled to the first…
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SAFE OPERATION OF A DEVICE
Granted: May 21, 2020
Application Number:
20200155252
Systems and methods for safe operation of a device include a control system having a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to determine, using one or more sensors, whether an operator is in contact with an input control of a console coupled to the system. The processor is further configured to affect commanded motion of the device using the input control in response to the determination of operator contact with the input control. In some embodiments,…
SUPPORT APPARATUS FOR A MEDICAL RETRACTOR DEVICE
Granted: May 21, 2020
Application Number:
20200155136
A support apparatus for a medical device includes a first sleeve, a second sleeve, and a flexible contact member. The first sleeve is configured to be coupled to a first tool member of an end effector assembly that includes the first tool member, a second tool member, and a clevis, in which the first and second tool members are each rotatably coupled to the clevis such that second tool member can be moved relative to the first tool member between a first and a second orientation. The…
METHOD FOR VIDEO PROCESSING USING A BUFFER
Granted: May 14, 2020
Application Number:
20200154080
A system may comprise a video data buffer configured to store input video frame data received from a source; and a video processor logically coupled to the video data buffer, wherein the video processor is configured to cause the stored video frame data to be output from the video data buffer at an output video frame rate, and vary the output video frame rate based on an amount of video frame data stored at the video data buffer.
TISSUE PENETRATING DEVICE TIPS
Granted: May 7, 2020
Application Number:
20200138514
A medical instrument tip for penetrating tissue may include a body having a diameter of less than 5 mm, and a blade having a plurality of faces and a plurality of cutting edges. At least one cutting edge may have a dihedral angle of less than 50 degrees. A medical instrument tip may be included in an ablation instrument that also includes a cable and a conductive antenna body coupled to the cable for delivering ablative energy to a target tissue. A medical instrument tip may be…
CANNULAS HAVING BODY WALL RETENTION FEATURES, AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS
Granted: May 7, 2020
Application Number:
20200138478
A cannula may include a cannula bowl having an opening to receive an instrument configured to be advanced through the cannula, and a cannula tube extending distally from the cannula bowl. The cannula tube may have a proximal end opening, a distal end opening disposed at an opposite end of the cannula from the proximal end opening, and lateral wall defining a passage extending from the proximal end opening to the distal end opening. The lateral wall can have outer dimensions defining a…
MEDICAL INSTRUMENT WITH JAW WITH FRICTION-COUPLED DRIVE CABLE
Granted: April 30, 2020
Application Number:
20200129226
An electrically energized medical instrument uses one or more drive cables to both actuate mechanical components of a wrist mechanism or an effector and to electrically energize the effector. Electrical isolation can be achieved using an insulating main tube through which drive cables extend from a backend mechanism to the effector, an insulating end cover that leaves only the desired portions of the effector exposed, and one or more seals to prevent electrically conductive liquid from…
SURGICAL CANNULA MOUNTS AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS
Granted: April 9, 2020
Application Number:
20200107896
A cannula sterile adaptor for a surgical system includes a first portion comprising a rigid material and a second portion comprising a compliant material. one of the first portion and the second portion comprises a depression arranged to receive a clamping arm of a cannula mount of the surgical system.
SURGICAL EQUIPMENT CONTROL INPUT VISUALIZATION FIELD
Granted: April 9, 2020
Application Number:
20200107749
A control console includes a first input control operable by an operator and outside of a field of view of the operator, a display within the field of view of the operator, and a first image capture device. The first image capture device acquires a first image of a physical environment surrounding the first input control and at least part of the first input control. The first image is output on the display. In some embodiments, a second image of a work site may also be displayed, so that…
WHEELED CART WITH VIBRATION REDUCTION DEVICE, AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS
Granted: April 2, 2020
Application Number:
20200101629
A surgical cart assembly may comprise a base portion. The base portion also includes a plurality of wheels coupled to the base portion and arranged to permit wheeled movement of the surgical cart assembly. The cart also includes a column extending vertically from the base portion, and a manipulator arm coupled to an end portion of the column opposite to a location of the base portion. The cart further comprises a stabilization assembly coupled to the base portion, the stabilization…
SEGMENTED INSTRUMENT HAVING BRAKING CAPABILITIES
Granted: March 26, 2020
Application Number:
20200093352
A medical instrument may comprise a plurality of links disposed in series along an axial direction. The plurality of links also may comprise a brake assembly comprise one or more first braking components coupled to a first link in the pair of adjacent links and one or more second braking components coupled to a second link in the pair of adjacent links. The one or more first braking components and the one or more second braking components may have an interleaved arrangement with each…
SAMPLE RETRIEVAL TOOL WITH COMPLIANT RETENTION MEMBER
Granted: March 19, 2020
Application Number:
20200085415
The embodiments described herein can be used in a variety of sample retrieval, grasping, cutting, and manipulating operations. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes an elongated member and a retention member movably coupled to the elongated member. The elongated member includes a cutting portion configured to cut a target sample when moved, and defines an internal volume within which at least a portion of the target sample can be received. The retention member includes an engagement…
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INCREASING HEAT DISSIPATION CAPACITY OF A MEDICAL INSTRUMENT
Granted: March 12, 2020
Application Number:
20200077879
A method and apparatus for improving a heat dissipation capacity. An apparatus comprises an elongate member, a housing, and a heat pump device. The elongate member has a distal end and a proximal end. The housing is coupled to the proximal end of the elongate member. The heat pump device is coupled between the elongate member and the housing. The heat pump device is configured to transfer thermal energy between the elongate member and the housing.
GRIP FORCE CONTROL FOR ROBOTIC SURGICAL INSTRUMENT END EFFECTOR
Granted: March 12, 2020
Application Number:
20200078121
A computer-assisted surgical system comprises a master grip input mechanism, a surgical instrument comprising an end effector configured to apply a gripping force, and a controller. The controller is configured to receive a first input signal in response to grip input at the master grip input mechanism. The controller is further configured to receive a second input signal after receiving the first input signal, wherein the second input signal is received in response to a procedure input…
